Prisoner (season 3)
# Prisoner (season 3)

The third season of Australian drama television series Prisoner (commonly known as Prisoner: Cell Block H) premiered on Network Ten on 4 February 1981. It consists of 81 episodes and concluded on 11 November 1981.

The season is notable for the conclusion to the tunnel escape storyline which ended the previous season; the departure of Vera Bennett ("Vinegar Tits") when she accepts the position of governor of Barnhurst; the kidnapping of Erica Davidson; the arrival of new prisoners Sandy Edwards, Kate Peterson and former inmate and top dog of H Block – Marie Winter; Bea Smith's amnesia, and later, her mysterious illness which sees her step down as top dog, only to be replaced by Sandy Edwards.

## Episodes

| No. overall | Episode | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 166 | Episode 1 | Alistair Sharp | Rod Hardy & Juliana Focht | 4 February 1981 (1981-02-04) |
| Bea, Lizzie and Doreen are trapped in the tunnel collapse. Judy and Mouse get out alive but Mouse is recaptured. |||||
| 167 | Episode 2 | Denise Morgan | John McRae | 10 February 1981 (1981-02-10) |
| Mouse takes the authorities into the tunnel to rescue Bea, Lizzie and Doreen. |||||
| 168 | Episode 3 | Margaret McClusky | John McRae | 11 February 1981 (1981-02-11) |
| Mr Gillespie is caught opening a letter to the Ombudsman. Lizzie suffers a heart attack. |||||
| 169 | Episode 4 | Ray Kolle | Leigh Spence | 17 February 1981 (1981-02-17) |
| Lizzie doesn't want to go on. |||||
| 170 | Episode 5 | George Mallaby | Leigh Spence | 18 February 1981 (1981-02-18) |
| Bryant flees after the police arrest Wally for harbouring her. |||||
| 171 | Episode 6 | Denise Morgan | Mike Murphy | 24 February 1981 (1981-02-24) |
| Bryant's videotape is put to air. Not satisfied, she has a new revenge plan for her old mate Jock. |||||
| 172 | Episode 7 | Alastair Sharp | Mike Murphy | 25 February 1981 (1981-02-25) |
| Bryant gets Jock Stewart arrested. Jim catches Doreen kissing David Andrews. |||||
| 173 | Episode 8 | Dave Worthington | Juliana Focht | 3 March 1981 (1981-03-03) |
| Sandra Hamilton is getting a bit too nosey for her own good. |||||
| 174 | Episode 9 | Bryon Williams | Juliana Focht | 4 March 1981 (1981-03-04) |
| Sandra is forced to admit she is a journalist doing a follow-up to the story of the tunnel escape. Syd is found unconscious. |||||
| 175 | Episode 10 | Denise Morgan | Leigh Spence | 10 March 1981 (1981-03-10) |
| A pandemic casts a shadow over Wentworth. |||||
| 176 | Episode 11 | Margaret McClusky | Leigh Spence | 11 March 1981 (1981-03-11) |
| Inmates and staff are falling ill. |||||
| 177 | Episode 12 | Ian Bradley | Mike Murphy | 17 March 1981 (1981-03-17) |
| Wentworth is put under quarantine. |||||
| 178 | Episode 13 | Barbara Ramsay | Mike Murphy | 18 March 1981 (1981-03-18) |
| Bryant forces herself on Baxter, but it is Baxter who gets into trouble for slapping Bryant. |||||
| 179 | Episode 14 | Ray Kolle | Marcus Cole | 24 March 1981 (1981-03-24) |
| The quarantine is lifted as the real cause of the disease is discovered. Sandra Hamilton's release is placed in jeopardy. |||||
| 180 | Episode 15 | Dave Worthington | Marcus Cole | 25 March 1981 (1981-03-25) |
| Erica joins the inmates as a fellow student in David's pottery classes. Gaffney is released but her boyfriend has run up huge gambling debts. |||||
| 181 | Episode 16 | Denise Morgan | Juliana Focht | 31 March 1981 (1981-03-31) |
| Faction fighting among the inmates over Georgie Baxter. Wayne and Margo have to think of ways of getting out of debt. |||||
| 182 | Episode 17 | George Mallaby | Juliana Focht | 1 April 1981 (1981-04-01) |
| A wild brawl leaves Bee unconscious. Wayne and Bazza have a plan to get Wayne and Gaffney out of debt. |||||
| 183 | Episode 18 | Bryon Williams | Leigh Spence | 7 April 1981 (1981-04-07) |
| Bureaucratic bungling delays Bee's trip to hospital. Wayne, Margo and Bazza barricade themselves in a haberdashery shop when their robbery attempt goes wrong. |||||
| 184 | Episode 19 | Margaret McClusky | Leigh Spence | 8 April 1981 (1981-04-08) |
| The Gaffney Siege continues throughout the episode, and ends in bloodshed. A trainee officer begins her stint in Wentworth. |||||
| 185 | Episode 20 | Denise Morgan | Mike Murphy | 14 April 1981 (1981-04-14) |
| Gaffney, now back inside following the siege, causes trouble when she finds out her boyfriend has died in hospital. |||||
| 186 | Episode 21 | Barbara Ramsay | Mike Murphy | 15 April 1981 (1981-04-15) |
| What is Lizzy Birdsworth up to? |||||
| 187 | Episode 22 | Alastair Sharp | John McRae | 21 April 1981 (1981-04-21) |
| Birdsworth enjoys her time on the run. Meg's husband Bob is getting increasingly sick of her job as a prison officer, and gives her an ultimatum. |||||
| 188 | Episode 23 | Ian Bradley | John McRae | 22 April 1981 (1981-04-22) |
| The conjugal visiting suite is set up. Hazel is the first to enjoy this special visit, but not all goes well. Vera warns Latham she has been checking up on what she and O'Brien have been up to, and their past record. |||||
| 189 | Episode 24 | Dave Worthington | Juliana Focht | 28 April 1981 (1981-04-28) |
| Bee's boycott of the visiting suite doesn't go down too well with the women. Meg agrees to get a job as probation and parole officer. |||||
| 190 | Episode 25 | Ray Kolle | Juliana Focht | 29 April 1981 (1981-04-29) |
| Bee allows herself to be dragged through the mud, and make other sacrifices, for the benefit of the other women. |||||
| 191 | Episode 26 | Denise Morgan | Leigh Spence | 5 May 1981 (1981-05-05) |
| Bee is forced to say goodbye to Ken. Chrissie Latham is released. |||||
| 192 | Episode 27 | George Mallaby | Leigh Spence | 6 May 1981 (1981-05-06) |
| Latham is in a bitchy mood, and her dangerous attitude could cost her parole and custody of Elizabeth. Censorship of mail is reintroduced, and unsupervised visits are off, after Doreen makes a mistake. |||||
| 193 | Episode 28 | Margaret McClusky | Geoffrey Nottage | 12 May 1981 (1981-05-12) |
| The women are down on Doreen for having censorship brought back. Bee calls a strike after David's teaching hours are cut back. |||||
| 194 | Episode 29 | Bryon Williams | Geoffrey Nottage | 13 May 1981 (1981-05-13) |
| David is forced to resign for inciting the strike. Latham's boyfriend is arrested. |||||
| 195 | Episode 30 | Denise Morgan | Marcus Cole | 19 May 1981 (1981-05-19) |
| Latham is forced to say goodbye to Mick as he is extradited to South Australia. The prisoners rebel against the regime that stopped David's classes. |||||
| 196 | Episode 31 | Barbara Ramsay | Marcus Cole | 20 May 1981 (1981-05-20) |
| Erica Davidson is sacked. Bee is shanghaied in the middle of the night. Chrissie Latham is caught with her pants down. |||||
| 197 | Episode 32 | Dave Worthington | Juliana Focht | 26 May 1981 (1981-05-26) |
| Bee seems happy to live out her sentence at Barnhurst. Meg keeps quiet about Latham's illegal activity and so she is granted custody of Elizabeth. The women agree to lift the barricade and end the hunger strike when Erica is returned as Governor. |||||
| 198 | Episode 33 | Ray Kolle | Juliana Focht | 27 May 1981 (1981-05-27) |
| Marie Winter and her gang drug Bee. Erica decides to have Bee brought back to Wentworth. |||||
| 199 | Episode 34 | John Harper | Leigh Spence | 2 June 1981 (1981-06-02) |
| Bee wanders the streets in a daze, and takes refuge at "mum"'s house. Gaffney takes over as Top Dog after getting a stiff sentence for the siege. |||||
| 200 | Episode 35 | Denise Morgan | Leigh Spence | 3 June 1981 (1981-06-03) |
| Bee is stripped of her dignity after being recaptured accused of escaping the Barnhurst van. |||||
| 201 | Episode 36 | Peter Brennan | Geoffrey Nottage | 9 June 1981 (1981-06-09) |
| 202 | Episode 37 | Bryon Williams | Geoffrey Nottage | 10 June 1981 (1981-06-10) |
| 203 | Episode 38 | Ian Bradley | Marcus Cole | 16 June 1981 (1981-06-16) |
| 204 | Episode 39 | Margaret McClusky | Marcus Cole | 17 June 1981 (1981-06-17) |
| 205 | Episode 40 | Barbara Ramsay | Juliana Focht | 23 June 1981 (1981-06-23) |
| 206 | Episode 41 | Ray Kolle | Juliana Focht | 24 June 1981 (1981-06-24) |
| 207 | Episode 42 | Dave Worthington | Leigh Spence | 30 June 1981 (1981-06-30) |
| 208 | Episode 43 | Alastair Sharp | Leigh Spence | 1 July 1981 (1981-07-01) |
| 209 | Episode 44 | David Minter & Margaret McClusky | John McRae | 7 July 1981 (1981-07-07) |
| 210 | Episode 45 | Bryon Williams | John McRae | 8 July 1981 (1981-07-08) |
| 211 | Episode 46 | Peter Brennan | Kendal Flanagan | 14 July 1981 (1981-07-14) |
| 212 | Episode 47 | David Stevens | Kendal Flanagan | 15 July 1981 (1981-07-15) |
| 213 | Episode 48 | Ray Kolle | Juliana Focht | 21 July 1981 (1981-07-21) |
| 214 | Episode 49 | Barbara Ramsay | Juliana Focht | 28 July 1981 (1981-07-28) |
| 215 | Episode 50 | Dave Worthington | Leigh Spence | 4 August 1981 (1981-08-04) |
| 216 | Episode 51 | Alastair Sharp | Leigh Spence | 5 August 1981 (1981-08-05) |
| 217 | Episode 52 | Bryon Williams | John McRae | 11 August 1981 (1981-08-11) |
| 218 | Episode 53 | Denise Morgan | John McRae | 12 August 1981 (1981-08-12) |
| 219 | Episode 54 | Margaret McClusky | Kendal Flanagan | 18 August 1981 (1981-08-18) |
| 220 | Episode 55 | Peter Brennan & Coral Drouyn | Kendal Flanagan | 19 August 1981 (1981-08-19) |
| 221 | Episode 56 | Barbara Ramsay | Juliana Focht | 25 August 1981 (1981-08-25) |
| 222 | Episode 57 | Ray Kolle | Juliana Focht | 26 August 1981 (1981-08-26) |
| 223 | Episode 58 | Alastair Sharp | Wayne Cameron | 1 September 1981 (1981-09-01) |
| 224 | Episode 59 | Dave Worthington | Wayne Cameron | 2 September 1981 (1981-09-02) |
| 225 | Episode 60 | Bryon Williams | Gary Conway | 8 September 1981 (1981-09-08) |
| 226 | Episode 61 | Denise Morgan | Gary Conway | 9 September 1981 (1981-09-09) |
| 227 | Episode 62 | Margaret McClusky | Kendal Flanagan | 15 September 1981 (1981-09-15) |
| 228 | Episode 63 | Coral Drouyn | Kendal Flanagan | 16 September 1981 (1981-09-16) |
| 229 | Episode 64 | Peter Brennan & Wendy Jackson | Juliana Focht | 22 September 1981 (1981-09-22) |
| 230 | Episode 65 | Ray Kolle | Juliana Focht | 23 September 1981 (1981-09-23) |
| 231 | Episode 66 | Ian Bradley | Wayne Cameron | 23 September 1981 (1981-09-23) |
| 232 | Episode 67 | Barbara Ramsay | Wayne Cameron | 29 September 1981 (1981-09-29) |
| 233 | Episode 68 | Dave Worthington | Lex Van Os | 30 September 1981 (1981-09-30) |
| 234 | Episode 69 | Christine McCourt | Lex Van Os | 30 September 1981 (1981-09-30) |
| 235 | Episode 70 | Alastair Sharp | Rod Hardy | 6 October 1981 (1981-10-06) |
| 236 | Episode 71 | Bryon Williams | Rod Hardy | 7 October 1981 (1981-10-07) |
| 237 | Episode 72 | Denise Morgan | Greg Shears | 13 October 1981 (1981-10-13) |
| 238 | Episode 73 | Margaret McClusky | Greg Shears | 14 October 1981 (1981-10-14) |
| 239 | Episode 74 | Coral Drouyn | Leigh Spence | 20 October 1981 (1981-10-20) |
| 240 | Episode 75 | Ian Bradley | Leigh Spence | 21 October 1981 (1981-10-21) |
| 241 | Episode 76 | Ray Kolle | Lex Van Os | 27 October 1981 (1981-10-27) |
| 242 | Episode 77 | Wendy Jackson | Lex Van Os | 28 October 1981 (1981-10-28) |
| 243 | Episode 78 | Michael Freundt & Andrew Kennedy | Kendal Flanagan | 3 November 1981 (1981-11-03) |
| 244 | Episode 79 | Barbara Ramsay | Kendal Flanagan | 4 November 1981 (1981-11-04) |
| 245 | Episode 80 | Rick Maier | Juliana Focht | 10 November 1981 (1981-11-10) |
| 246 | Episode 81 | Dave Worthington | Juliana Focht | 11 November 1981 (1981-11-11) |
| Doreen and Judy are transferred to Barnhurst when it is discovered the rosters had been forged. Colleen is promoted to Chief Prisoner Officer, while Meg is voted to stand for Union Rep. Bea successfully come through her operation, however, she may be out of action for some time. The women's schemes are brought to a close when Lizzie is caught stealing from the kitchen which prompts them to consider that they could be dealing with a lagger. In light of the tight security measures, Marie persuades Sandy to start a riot which traps several of the officers inside the prison. |||||

## Accolades

* Logie Award for Best Lead Actress in a series – Val Lehman (1982)
* Logie Award for Most Popular Actress – Val Lehman (1982)
* Logie Award for Most Popular Drama Series – Prisoner (1982)

## Home media

The following is a list of DVD sets which contain individual episodes from season three or the complete season as a whole.

| Title | Episode(s) | Release date | Format | Country | Rating |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Prisoner | 166 | 18 February 2002 | VHS & DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| Prisoner | 166 | 22 September 2003 | DVD | UK | BBFC: 15 |
| Prisoner | 166 | 30 November 2004 | DVD | USA | NR |
| Volume 11 | 166–176 | 18 August 2007 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| Volume 12 | 177–192 | 20 August 2007 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| The Complete Collection | 166–246 | 29 September 2007 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| Volume 13 | 193–208 | 20 October 2007 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| Volume 14 | 209–224 | 20 October 2007 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| Volume 15 | 225–240 | 3 November 2007 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| Volume 16 | 241–246 | 3 November 2007 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
| Volume 6 | 166–192 | 21 February 2011 | DVD | UK | BBFC: 15 |
| Volume 7 | 193–224 | 18 April 2011 | DVD | UK | BBFC: 15 |
| Volume 8 | 225–246 | 27 June 2011 | DVD | UK | BBFC: 15 |
| The Complete Season Three | 166–246 | 8 February 2017 | DVD | AUS | ACB: M |
